It has long been recognized that hydrogen peroxide can be employed as an antimicrobial agent to sterilize and disinfect environmental surfaces and surgical instruments. However, hydrogen peroxide has not been extensively used as an antimicrobial agent for hospital equipment because of its instability and because it tends to corrode surgical instruments. Aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide are inherently corrosive to a variety of metals such as iron, nickel, copper, chrome and their alloys. Corrosion of these metals when in contact with a hydrogen peroxide solution produces ions which catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and accelerate the loss of the antimicrobial activity of the solution. The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is accompanied by the release of the oxygen which, if allowed to accumulate in a closed container, can create a fire or explosion hazard.
There have been numerous attempts to stabilize hydrogen peroxide to prevent its rapid decomposition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,634 discloses a composition containing hydrogen peroxide, a chelating agent, an aluminum compound and a phosphate salt.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,306 discloses a composition containing 50%/80% hydrogen peroxide and 0.001%-1% 1,2-diaminocyclohexane tetraacetic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,753 and 3,208,825 disclose compositions having pH values of about 3.3 and 2.5, respectively, containing hydrogen peroxide, a chelating agent, a thin compound such as Na.sub.2 SnO.sub.3 and a phosphate salt.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,680,674 discloses a composition containing hydrogen peroxide and a zinc or cadmium compound such as the sulfate, nitrate or chloride.
Kassem et al. disclose the use of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid to stabilize hydrogen peroxide against the catalytic effects of iron and zinc. See Chemical Abstracts 78:164666H and 78:164667J.
We have found that the stabilizer systems mentioned in the above-cited references are insufficient to prevent the corrosion of surgical instruments or the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide when the hydrogen peroxide solution is used as a sterilizing and disinfecting agent.